Jay Rockefeller: “There has never been a case I know of in American history where the Government, over a period of 30 years, since the…”

“There has never been a case I know of in American history where the Government, over a period of 30 years, since the passing of the Trade Act in 1974, has been so absolutely unilaterally egregiously negligent of the interests of fulfilling American law which says that steel cannot be dumped at lower than its cost of production by other countries into this country. As my colleague may remember, President Clinton promised--actually it turns out it was West Virginia--he would not allow dumping to happen. The present administration has made similar types of promises. They and all other administrations have egregiously ignored the law. That is why I keep saying the Government's negligence is what makes the steel retirees so different in what they deserve and what they should get in the way of this modest health benefit for so few, primarily because, one, they have been injured by imports--that is what the International Trade Commission said--and second, the Government has been so totally negligent. Much of this is the Government's fault they are out of work--our Federal Government.”